Lemon Lavender Cupcakes

As promised, here's the recipe for the cupcakes.  It's from Shape magazine, August 2009 issue.  I find Shape usually has great recipes; none of this clean eating bullshit but good, healthy and tasty recipes.  Click on the image to enlarge it and read the recipe.

Spiced Baked Pears

2 Large Pears, quartered

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tablespoon crushed ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 cup caster sugar 

30g unsalted butter, melted

30g raw almonds, chopped

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well.  Line a baking dish with aluminum foil and place pear mixture in dish. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes  The spice mixture should be caramelised and have toffee like bits - delicious!  Serve with a little whipped cream if desired.

Sorry, no photo for this one, but believe me it is appetizing.  It's the first time I've made it and I plan to make it again next Sunday or Monday for my refeed!

Fashion Advice

I found this website while searching for pages about fashion.  It gave me a good laugh, mostly cos I agree with the majority of it.

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=fashion

Sweet Baked Buttercup

I love pumpkin, squash and buttercup, especially in dessert.  It's going out of season down under as spring is here but I still love using it in recipes, savory or sweet.

1 small Buttercup, halved

5 tablespoons of Splenda (or brown sugar)

2 tablespoons Cinnamon

1 teaspoon All Spice

30g Almonds, chopped

30g Butter, finely cubed

Scoop out seeds from buttercup and set in baking dish with water covering the bottom.  Mix Splenda/Sugar, Cinnamon, All Spice and Almonds in a seperate bowl then gently stir in butter.  Distribute mixture between the two halves and place in oven at 350 degrees Farhenheit for about 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let cool a little before serving.

Workouts for October - Week One

Monday 28th September - Rest Day

Tuesday 29th September - Rest Day

Wednesday 30th September

Bench Press
60kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
70kg x 5
70kg x 5

Pull Ups
BW x 5 (gorilla grips)
BW x 5
BW x 5

Deadlift
60kg x 5
60kg x 5
60kg x 5  (snatch grip)

Dips
BW x 8, 2 sets


Cardio: 20 minutes tempo training on stationary bike

Thursday 1st October - Rest Day

Friday 2nd October 

Power Cleans
20kg x 5
40kg x 3
50kg x 3, 3 sets
60kg x 1, 3 sets (clean and jerk)

Front Squats
60kg x 3
70kg x 3, 3 sets

Back Squat
90kg x 5
90kg x 3

Good Mornings
40kg x 8, 2 sets
50kg x 8, 2 sets

Cardio: 20 minutes tempo training on stationary bike


Saturday 3rd October - Rest Day

Sunday 4th October - Training for Powerlifting Meet starts!!
2 Board
60kg x 6
75kg x 5, 6 sets


3 Board
82.5kg x 5, 2 sets


Chin Ups (with gorilla grips)
BW x 5
BW x 5

T Bar Row
20kg x 10, 3 sets

Bicep Curls
10kgs x 10, 2 sets

RIP

Sad day today.  I went to my friend's father's funeral.  I'm a baby at funerals... even if I don't know the person very well I still cry.  I did know my friend's father fairly well, he was a very nice man.  He loved to talk and we had some interesting conversations about the most obscure topics.

Some of you may have also heard of the earthquake and tsunami in the South Pacific which affected Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.  Well, my Aunt, Uncle and my cousin's two babies were killed by the tsunami.  They apparently had about 5 minutes to try and save themselves but did not make it.  Along with them, my mother's family home perished.  So much destruction.

Anytime people I know die, I always lie awake at night thinking about them and life in general.  So, this week I've had quite a few late nights lying in bed thinking.  Anyway, I don't really have much else to say about it so I'll leave it at that.